LeBron playoff exit ends amazing streak that also involves Steph, KD

Monte Poole and Dalton Johnson recently delved into a discussion on the latest episode of “Dubs Talk,” debating whether Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy or 49ers GM John Lynch faces the tougher path this offseason. This episode marks a significant moment, as it symbolizes the end of an era in basketball.

After the Los Angeles Lakers’ 108-106 defeat to the Denver Nuggets and subsequent elimination from the NBA playoffs in the first round at Ball Arena, a remarkable streak involving LeBron James, Phoenix Suns’ Kevin Durant, and Warriors’ Steph Curry has come to a halt. It’s the first time since 2005 that the second round of the postseason won’t showcase James, Durant, or Curry – three titans of the game.

Since 2005, James, a standout drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003, has been a playoff fixture, making appearances in 17 postseasons and securing four championships across stints with the Cavaliers, Miami Heat, and Lakers. Similarly, Durant has been a consistent presence in the playoffs, reaching the second round 10 times, albeit his recent sweep in the opening round with the Suns against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Curry, a cornerstone of the Warriors since his draft in 2009, has been a playoff mainstay, entering the postseason nine times and advancing to at least the second round in eight instances. However, the Warriors’ recent failure to progress beyond the NBA Play-In Tournament against the Sacramento Kings marks a departure from Curry’s usual postseason trajectory.

The dominance of James, Curry, and Durant characterized the NBA landscape from the 2010s onwards. Yet, with emerging talents like Anthony Edwards and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the future of the NBA postseason appears poised for a transformation.

For James, missing the playoffs has been a rarity, occurring only four times in his illustrious career, with this season marking just the second instance of failing to advance past the first round. Durant’s playoff journey commenced in 2009-10, and save for the 2014-15 season, he’s been a fixture in the postseason, totaling 14 appearances, excluding his absence in the Nets’ first-round loss to the Raptors in 2020.